Veronika Kudermetova claims drinking beer has helped her post-match recovery

Veronika Kudermetova has disclosed that she has resorted to drinking beer to aid her in her post-match recovery.

Kudermetova is currently competing at the 2023 Madrid Open, where she defeated Jessica Pegula in the quarterfinals on Wednesday, May 3. She registered a hard-fought 6-4, 0-6, 6-4 win to progress to the semifinals.

In a post-match Tennis Channel interview, the Russian stated that she was kicking herself mid-way through the match for allowing it to go to the third set once again.

“Today in the second set, I start to say like ‘Veronica, you want to kill yourself?’ Because again three sets, it was [a] tough battle again today,” she said.

Kudermetova has won all her games in Madrid this year in three sets, against Nuria Parrizas-Diaz, Anastasia Potapova, Daria Kasatkina, and now Pegula. She even saved two match points against Kasatkina in the fourth round before emerging victorious.

The 26-year-old, however, wasn't too fussed with yet another long and tiring match as she stated that she has figured out a new recovery technique — drinking beer.

“But to be honest, every day I took some beer you know, for recovery. I start[ed] drink[ing] beer this week. Yeah, this is the first time I took a beer and it works really well. I mean, I'm so happy and proud of myself that I managed this tough match,” she explained.

When host Prakash Amritraj stated that players would now follow in her footsteps and take a sip of alcohol to recover, she was quick to call for moderation.

“Sometimes, not always,” she added, with a laugh.

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Veronika Kudermetova through to maiden Masters 1000 semifinal, to face Iga Swiatek or Petra Martic

Veronika Kudermetova in action against Jessica Pegula at the 2023 Madrid Open.

Veronika Kudermetova defeated Jessica Pegula in a rollercoaster three-set contest to progress to the Madrid Open semifinals. This is her first last-four appearance at a Masters 1000 tournament, having previously been a quarterfinalist at Indian Wells and Guadalajara, in 2022.

Kudermetova has been in good form this year, with Madrid being her third semifinal appearance of the season following Adelaide 2 and Doha. Her win over Jessica Pegula was her seventh career Top-5 win, and her first since defeating Ons Jabeur in the San Jose quarterfinals last year.

Jessica Pegula and Petra Martic are set to lock horns in the other Madrid Open semifinal, and the winner will face Kudermetova in the final on Saturday, May 6.